Mattress, method and machine for making the same



2,677,138 MATTRESS, METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed Feb. 4,1950 May 4, 1954 F. J. WOLFANGER .4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ED J. woLFaNeen IFSATTORNEY Y M y 1954 F. J. WOLFANGER MATTRESS, METHOD AND MACHINE FORMAKING THE SAME Filed Feb. 4, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I u L n u 6 n n m 7.O i 2 4 6 co m 5 m w U O Nm M 5 M 6 o O 00 2 9 2 3 w T, 7 o t a INVENTORFRED J. WOLFFINGER 4/} ATTORNEY May 4, 1954 F. J. WOLFANGER MATTRESS,METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed Feb. 4, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet3 5g FRED. J. WOLFHNER l/Lv ATTORNEY y 4, 1954 F, J. WOLFANGER ,6 7, 3

MATTRESS, METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed Feb. 4, 1950 4Sheets-Sheet 4 29 va ea INVENTOR FRED J. WOLFHNGER ATTORNEY Patented May4, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MATTRESS, METHOD AND MACHINE FORMAKING THE SAME 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved machine for drawing the tuftingthreads through a mattress preparatory to tufting, to the improvedmethod for tufting a mattress made possible by such improved machine,and to the improved mattres produced by such method.

Among the objects of the present invention, it is aimed to provide animproved machine whereby the locations for the tufting threads or cords,and therefore of the tufts, will be spaced a predetermined and/oruniform distance from one another so that the tufts will all be spacedpredetermined and/ or uniform distances from one another without thenecessity of using a pattern or previously marking the unit to be tuftedto locate the position of the tufts.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvedmachine whereby a. plurality of tufting threads or cords secured to afirst sheet of ticking for one face of a mattress unit to form aplurality of tufts may be simultaneously drawn at predeterminedlocations through such mattress unit, preparatory to securing suchthreads or cords to other threads or cords secured to a second sheet ofticking to form the other face of the mattress unit.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvedmethod for tufting a mattress unit consisting in attaching a pluralityof long threads or cords at predetermined positions to a first sheet ofticking for one face of a mattress unit, attaching a plurality ofshorter threads to a second sheet of ticking for the other face of themattress unit at predetermined positions corresponding to predeterminedpositions of the long threads on the first sheet of ticking, thereuponthe second sheet of ticking and simultaneously compressing the adjacentportions of the mattress unit to effect the conventional tuftingdepressions.

It is still another object of the present invenvtion to provide animproved mattress consisting .of a mattress unit either of thetype'having an inner spring or of the type only having an inner filling,a first sheet of ticking for one face of said .mattress unit having longthreads or cords secured thereto at predetermined locations thereon,

a second sheet of ticking forthe other face of the mattress unithavingshorter threads secured thereto at positions corresponding to thelocations of the long threads on said first sheet of ticking, the longthreads of said first sheet of ticking extending through such mattressunit and secured to the shorter threads on said second sheet of tickingto effect the conventional tufting depressions.

These and other features, capabilities and ad-' vantages of the presentinvention consisting of the improved machine, method and mattres willappear from the subjoined detailed description of one specificembodiment of the improved machine and mattress illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a plan view partly broken awayof the improved machine.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on theline 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective partly broken awayshowing a needle being threaded.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental portion of the needle particularlyshowing the eye of the needle. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 ofFig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a perspective broken away of the mechanism for actuating thecord or thread positioning needles.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmental view of the needle as it passes throughthe thread cutter.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmental section of a mattress unit positionedon the machine after a row of threads or cords has been drawn throughthe mattress unit. a

Fig. 10 is a fragmental section of a mattress unit on a smaller scalethan that illustrated in Fig. 9 showing the mattress unit after it hasbeen turned to illustrate the position when the long 20 .threads orcords are being attached to the shorter threads or cords.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmental detail of a corner of the mattressunit shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmental front view partly in section on theline l2-l2 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmental side view of the part of the mechanismshown in Fig. 12.

According to the present invention, a new method of tufting a mattressunit is made possible, resulting in an improved mattress. If themattress unit to be tufted is an inner spring mattress unit asillustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, then the inner spring unit i is firstassembled without the sheets of ticking 2 and 3. It will be obvious fromthe description to follow, however, that the mattress unit need not beof the inner spring type but might also consist mainly of fillingwithout an inner spring. j v

This inner spring unit l as illustrated consists essentially of aplurality of rows of coil springs 4, the outer ends of which areconnected to one another by lengths of helical spring connectors 5 andrectangular wire frames 6 connected to the outer edges of the outermostcoil springs t, all in the conventional way. Upon the outer faces of Ithe coil spring unit consisting of the coil springs 4 there is firstpositioned a layer or pad '1 composed eitherof sisal, felt, hair or thelike. Upon .this pad I there is then placed a layer of felt or hair 8.Preferably the pads l are about one-half inch in thickness and thelayers 8 about two inches in thickness. On the outer faces of the layers8 there are then placed sheets of muslin 9, one for each layer 8. Theends of the pads I are wrapped aroun'd'the wire frame 6 to form theloops I0, see Fig. 11. Narrow strips of. muslin II are then wrappedaround the loops I and secured in place by staples I2.

Built-up borders I3 consisting of a... filler I4 having an outer tickingsheet I5 and" an. inner layer of muslin or buckram I6 are then securedin place by any suitable means, such as the staples I'I, extendingthrough the outer muslin 9, corner of the felt layer 8, free end of themuslin I6; loop I I] of the layer I, and intermediate free portion ofmuslin IS. The free ends of the muslin I6, see particularly Fig. 11, arepositioned between the outer ends of the layers 8' and muslin strips. IIbefore the staples I'I' are secured in place.

The present inventionis primarily directed to securing the tickingsheets 2 and 3 to amattress unit, such as the mattress unit I, andsimul- Fig. 10, a plurality of long .loopsIBof tufting cord or thread,and securing to the other ticking sheet, such as the ticking sheet 2, aplurality of short loops I9 of tufting cord or thread.

The positions of the. loops I8and l9 are of course predetermined andpreferably", see Fig. 1, in" rows staggered relative to one another withthe positions of the loops IB in the sheet 3 registering with thepositions of the loops I9 in the sheet 2.

Thereupon the mattress unit I is placed upon the platform 200i themachine illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 without the ticking sheet 2between the platform =and the muslin sheet 9. Thereupon the bars 2 I,preferably composed of iron, are placed uponthe muslin layer 9 ofthemattress unit, see Fig. 9, in predetermined positions. Thereupon theticking sheet 3', with the loops I8 exposed, is folded over so thatonerowof loops I8registers with the space between the first two bars 2|,2|, see Fig. 9. needles 22 arepositioned so that at least one row ofneedles at atime may be actuated topass through the mattress unit I'between a pair of bars 2!, 2 I, as shown in Fig. 9. After the needlesare so' actuated through the mattress unit I, and the eyesv 23 of theneedles 220i such row clear'the outer faces of muslin 9; the firstrow'of loops [8 of the ticking'iiare threadedor looped into the eyes 23,see Fig. 4. When all of'the loops. I 8'of arov; are so threaded in suchrow of needles 22, such row of needles 22 is returned to position, theposition shown in'full lines in Fig. 2, when'the needles 22 carry theloops I8 down through the matttress unit and into cutting engagementwith the cutting washers 24, see Fig. 8, whenthe' ends of theloops willbecut upon the eyes-23 passing through the cutting washers 24.

After one row of loops I8 of the tickingsheet 3 has so been drawnthrough the mattress unit I, a further portion of the ticking 3- isfolded over onto the muslin sheet 9 and the next row of loops isattached to' a second row of needles22 and drawn through the mattressunit I and cut. This procedure continuesuntil all ofthe loops I8 of theticking sheet 3 are drawn through the mattress-unit I.

Thereupon the mattress unit I with the long loops I8 drawn through thesame is turned over A plurality of rows of into the position shown inFig. 10 where the tickthe muslin sheet 9 of the other face of themattress unit I is exposed. Thereupon the ticking sheet2. is positionedsotthat one of its outer rows of loops I9 registers with: a row of loopsI8. Thereupon one of the cut ends of the loop I8, see Rig. 10, is drawnthrough a loop I9 registering with the same, themattress unit Idepressed and the two free ends of the loop I8 tied together to form thetuft, see the tuft 25 in Fig. 10. After the firstrow of short loops I9has so been secured to the. long loops I8, then the ticking sheet 2 isfolded over onto the muslin 9 so that the next row' of :loops I9 ispositioned adjacent to the free ends of the next row of long loops I8,and this row of. short loopsthen secured in place justas was. theycasewith. the first row of short loops I9. This procedure in turn willcontinue until all of the. rows of short loops I9 on the ticking sheet 2have. been securedin place to form tufts 25 for the entire mattress unitI.

The machine foractuating' the needles 22 will now be described; Thismachine is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, and Figs. 12 and 13.

Briefly the machine is provided mainly initially tov support themattress unit I with its muslin layer 9 engaging the platform 20 toposition the same for receiving one row after another of needles in turnto receive the long tufting cords I8 and draw them through the mattressunit I as shown in Fig. 9. Incidentally, advantage is also taken of theplatform 20 thereupon to receive the mattress with the ticking sheetliengaging the platform 20- to enable the short tufting'loops I9 to beattached to the long'tufting cords I8;

The needles 22" are arranged in the'present instance in" seven rows, thefirst, third, fifth and seventh rows, see" Fig. 1, being alinedwith oneanotherand consisting of five needles to-a row. see Fig. l, inthe'presentinstance, and the sec- 0nd, fourth and sixth rowsof'needlesconsisting ing of four needles to a row in alinement' with one anotherbut staggered relative to the needles in the odd rows, in the presentinstance. For the purpose of the present invention, the first rowofneedles nearest thefront or lower end of the machine-shown in-Fig. 1is first actuated. When the associated operations necessary foreffecting the passage of the first row of long tufting cords I8 throughthe mattress-unit I has been effected, then the second row of'needles isactuated, and this-procedure continued until all of the long threadsattached to the ticking sheet 3*are drawn through the mattress unit' I.

' The mechanism for'actuating the needles is mounted in the frameconsisting primarily of the platform 20 mounted on the rectangular angleiron=frame 26 connected tothe four angle iron uprights 21 at the comers"thereof. The lower'ends of the uprights 2'! at the sides thereofareconnected to one another by the-cross bars 28* extending from frontto rear, and the two front uprights 21 are connectedto" one another bythe-round bar'29.

Inaddition to the'cross'bars 28, the uprights 21 at the sides are alsoconnected to one another bythe angle irons 30 directly above the crossbars 28 and the angle iron 3I near the upper ends thereof at a levelbelow the platform 2|. The cross bars 28 are provided to form abutmentsor'supports from the seven bars 32. The inner faces of the angle irons30 and 3!, see Fig. 1, are each provided with seven pairs of angle ironrails 33 to form slideways.

The two upper-angle irons 3 I form supportsfor the seven guide bars 34.The first rowof' needles 22 are all fixed at their lower ends to the bar35. The second to seventh rows of needles in turn are fixedly secured attheir lower ends to the bars 36, 37, 38, 39, and 4|, respectively, seeFig. 2. In Fig. 1 only the bars 35 and 36 are shown, the guide bars 34concealing the remaining slidable bars 31 to 4|, inclusive. Since theactuating mechanism for the bars 35 to 4| is substantially identical, itis believed sufficient merely to describe the mechanism for actuatingthe bar 35. The bar 35 is secured at its ends to the brackets 42 whichhave rollers 43 at the ends thereof slidably mounted in the slidewaysformed by the pairs of angle irons 33, 33. The guide bars 34, see Fig.3, have openings 44 therein slidably to receive the needles 22. Theupper ends of the openings 44 are provided with the cutting washers 24as shown in Fig. 6. Registering with the openings 44 in the guide bar34, there are openings 45 formed in the platform 20. Consequently as thehorizontally extending bar 35 is moved up and down, the registeringopenings in the guide bar 34 and platform 23 will maintain the needlesin vertical alinement.

The needles 22, see particularly Fig. 4, are pointed at their upper ends46 and have the eyes 23 positioned a distance below the pointed ends 46.Excellent results have been achieved when this distance was about threeinches. Each eye 23, see Fig. 5, has a cam face 41 and an inclinedvertical face 48 opposite the finger 49 which is bent inwardly towardthe face 48 at its free end as shown in Fig. 5. Preferably as shown inFig. 6, the face 48 is inclined relative to the inner face 50 of thefinger 49 so that the opening in a lateral direction is tapered, beinglarger at its left hand end in the present instance than at its righthand end. This tapered formation is provided so that when the intactloop of a long tufting cord I3 is threaded into the same, see Fig. 4, itwill preferably be moved in the direction of the arrow 5! to clear theopening beneath the finger 49 of the portion 52 of a preceding cord Isthat had been cut on in a preceding operation by the cutter 24. In otherwords, after the tufting cord l8 has been threaded in the eye 23 anddrawn down through the mattress unit when the eye passes the cuttingwasher 24 shown in Fig. 6, it will cut the loo l8 at two places leavingthe intervening portion, such as the portion 52, in the eye 23.

The bar 35 has secured to the lower face thereof two pivotal supports 53for the upper free ends of the bent links '54. The lower free ends ofthe bent links 54 are in turn pivotally connected to one of the freeends of the bent links 55, the other free ends of such bent links 55being pivotally mounted on the first bar 32 nearest the front of themachine and directly below the bar 35. The lower arm portion of one ofthe bent links 55 are shown in Figs. 2 and 7 is connected by the link 56to the lever 5'! pivotally mounted on the bar 29.

For aiding the operator in swinging the lever 51 into the outerposition, that shown in Fig. '7, where all of the needles 22 on the bar35 are driven up through the mattress unit I, there is provided, thetension spring '58, connectedat its upper end to the platform 29, and atits lower end to the lower end of the bracket 42.

As will appear from Figs. 2 and '7, all of the remaining control levers59 for the remaining slide bars 36 to 4|, inclusive, are all pivotallymounted at their lower ends on the bar 29. It will also appear that eachof the other cross bars 36 to 4|, inclusive, also are provided with aspring 60, such as the spring 58. The links 6| for the first foursucceeding bars 35, 31, 38 and 39 will be successively longer than thelink 56 for the bar 35. The links corresponding to the links 54 and 55will be substantially the same in length and conformation.

The links 62 for the slidable cross bar 40 will in turn be longer thanthe link 6| for the slidable cross bar 39, but the links 63 and 64corresponding to the links 54 and 55, respectively, will differ slightlyin conformation. In turn, the link 65 for the slidable cross bar 4| willin turn be longer than the link 62 for the slidable cross bar 40, andwhile the link 66 corresponding to the link 64, although bent, willdiffer slightly in conformation, the link 61 corresponding to the link63 will be straight.

To serve as limiting stops for the upward movement of the cross bars 35to 39, inclusive, the links '54 are provided with projections 68 toengage the lower links 55 in their uppermost position.

The limiting stops for the slide bars 40 and 4|, however, consist in theprojections 69 and I0 formed on the links 64 and 65, respectively, forengaging the rods 32.

Preferably as shown, the platform 20 is wide enough to accommodatemattresses of different widths, such as a single mattress approximatingthree feet in width, a twin mattress approximating three feet, twoinches in width, and a double bed mattress approximating four feet, fiveinches in width.

For a double width mattress, the mattress unit, see the dash and dotline i i, when placed on the platform 20, is positioned so that it willengage the rear upwardly extending board 72. When it is desired to tufta twin size mattress a removable board 13 is used which is positioned inthe openings 14 and 15 of the side boards l6 and 1?, respectively. Inturn, the side boards 76 and 1'! may have a number of registeringopenings, such for instance as the openings H3 and 19, to receive theboard l3 for a single width mattress.

Secured to the outer face of the board 16 there are provided theuprights 86 having the openings 8| disposed immediately above the upperedge of the side board 16. Secured to the outer face of the side board71, on the other hand, are provided the uprights 82 having the slots 83formed therein. Each upright 86 has registering therewith an upright 82.Each pair of uprights 8B and 82 is provided to receive an anchoring bar2|. Each anchoring bar 2| has diminished ends 85. When a mattress unitis positioned on the platform 20 for a perforating operation, in orderto hold the mattress unit in position while the needles 22 are driven upthrough the same, the anchoring bars 2| are first secured in position,the diminished end 85 of one end of each bar first being positioned inan opening 8| of an upright 86 and then the other diminished end 85positioned in the recess 83 of the complemental upright 32. The righthand side of Fig. 1 shows six anchoring bars 2| secured to a mattressunit before the ticking sheet 3 has been secured thereto, see also Fig.2.

The bars 2| when being secured to the anchoring uprights 83 and 82 arepressed into the mattress unit I and thereupon when secured in theanchorin uprights 8i) and 82 function to anchor the mattress unit lagainst movement during operation. p

From the foregoing it will appear that this in- 7 vention isdireoted tomattresses tufted solely by looped tufting cords or threads without theuse of the conventional buttons or cotton tufts.

It is obvious that the longloops l8 and short loops i9 may be secured tothe ticking sheets 3 and 2, respectively, by any suitable means, suchfor instance as the conventional bartack stitching or the like, withoutdeparting from the general spirit of the invention.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made tothedetails of construction of the machine and mattress and also in thesteps of the method without departing from the general spirit of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a tufted mattress having a mattress body, a first ticking sheetfor one face of said mattress body and a second ticking sheet for theother face of said mattress body, the combination of a plurality ofpairs of long tufting cords with one of their ends free, a rst barstitch securing the other ends of each pair-of long tufting cords to theinner face of said first ticking sheet and positioned at predeterminedtufting locations, a plurality of short tufting cords, a second barstitch securin the ends of each short tufting cord folded on itself tothe inner face of said second ticking sheet to form a loop, the loopsbeing positioned at tufting locations registering with the tuftinglocations of the long tufting cords on said first ticking sheet, thelong tufting cords of each pair on said first ticking sheet extendingthrough said mattress body and connected to the loop of a short cord ofsaid second ticking sheet registering in position with said pair of longtufting cords.

2. The method of tufting a mattress consisting in securing the ends of aplurality of long tufting cords folded on themselves to form loops atpredetermined tufting locations on the inner face of a first tickingsheet, securing the ends of a plurality of short tufting cords foldedontheinselves to form loops to the inner face of a second ticking sheetin position corresponding to the location of the long tufting cords onthe first ticking sheet, drawing the loops of the long tufting cords ofthe first ticking sheet through a mattress unit, cutting the loops ofsaid long tufting cords into two free ends after drawing the samethrough the mattress body and tieing the free ends of said long cords soout to the loops of the short tufting cords on the second ticking sheetregistering in position with similarly positioned long tufting cords onthe first ticking sheet.

3. In a machine for threading tufting cords through a mattress body, thecombination of a plurality of needles, a frame, a platofrm secured tosaid frame for supporting a mattress body and having a plurality ofopenings registering with predetermined tufting positions in themattress body, guides for receiving the needles and secured to saidframe below said platform and in alinement with said openin s, actuatingmeans operatively connected to said frame below said guides foractuating said needles up through the mattress body to expose their eyeson the far side of the mattress body to enable tufting cords to beconnected to the needles, said actuating means also actuating theneedles back down out of the mattress body after having received thetufting cords to draw the tufting cords through the mattress body, saidneedles being arranged in rows, a plurality of cross bars verticallyslidable in said frame below said guides, each row of needles con- Lilnected to one of said crossbars, a lever for each cross bar andpivotally connected to said frame, and linkage connecting each cross barto one of said levers to enable actuation of said cross bars by saidlevers.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 in which the eye of eachneedle .is adapted to receive a tufting cord and the cord is in the formof a loop after passin through the mattress, the needles have piercingfree ends and the eyes are spaced from said free ends and the tuftingcords are in the form of loops threaded through such eyes of the needlesafter passing through the mattress, the main body of said needles beingcircular in cross section, and a cylindrical cutting die secured to eachguide just clearing each needle through which each needle passes as itreturns downward with a loop of th tufting cord threaded thereto tocooperate with its needle to cut the loop of the long tufting cordcarried by it into two free ends'as it passes through the die.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 in which the eye of eachneedle is adapted to receive a tufting cord and the cord is in the formof a loop after passing through the mattress, the needles have piercingfree ends and the eyes are spaced from said percing ends and the tuftingcords are in the form of loops and threaded through the eyes of theneedles after passing through the mattress, the main body of each needlebeing circular in cross section, and a rounded cutting washer secured toeach guide surrounding and just clearing each nedle to cooperate withsaid needle'to cut the loop of the long tuftin cord carried by it intotwo free ends when said needle returns downward with its tufting cordand as it passes through the washer.

6. In a machine for threading tufting cords through a mattress body, thecombination of a plurality of needles, aframe, a platform secured tosaid frame for positioning a mattress body and having a plurality ofopenings registering with predetermined tufting positions in themattress body, guides secured to said frame adjacent said platform inalinement with said openings for re ceiving and guiding the needlesthrough said openings, actuating means operatively connecting said frameto said needles for actuating said needles through the mattress body toexpose their eyes on the far side of the mattress body to enable tuftingcord to be connected to the needles, said actuating means alsoactuatingthe needles back out of the mattress body after having received thetufting cords to draw the tufting cords through the mattress body, saidneedles being arranged in rows, a. plurality of supports secured to saidneedles, one support for each row of said needles, and said actuatinmeans consisting of a plurality of levers pivotally connected to saidframe, one lever for each support, and linkage connecting each supportto its associated lever to enable said levers 'to actuate said supports,

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